In the name of God Amen I Ralph Vazie of Lowbyar in the parish of Alston & County of Cumberland being sick in body but of good & perfect memory so make & Ordaine this my last Will & Testament in manner & forme following. First & principally I commend my Soul into the Hands of God my Creator hoping assuredly through Christ Jesus my Redeemer to obtain full & free Remission of all my sins, and my Body to the earth of which it was made to be buryed att the discretion of My Exec[uto]rs hereafter named. And as for those Temporal Goods which the Lord has been pleased to bestow upon me I give & bequeath them as followeth. First I give unto my Son Thomas the summe of Tenn Pounds to be payed him within three yeares after my decease. Item I give unto my said Son one young yellow Mare. Item I give unto my Two Daughters Frances and Isabel to each of them a feather bed with furniture thereto belonging. Item I give unto said Daughter Frances one chest of drawers. Item I give unto my said Daughter Isabel one Trunk which belonged to her mother. Item I give unto my Daughter Anne one Cupboard standing in the parlour. Item I give unto my Cousen Thomas Lee of Alstonhouse one large fowling piece. Item I give unto my Cousen William Vazie the Summe of Tenn Shillings. Item I give unto Sicily Vickers one Ewe and lamb. And my will is that my Houses att Alston & my Goods and Chattels att Lowbyar be sold shortly after my decease & the money arising from thense to be employed & disposed of in the payment of my debts. My Will also is that my Tenement of Land att Wellhouse be sold att the discretion of my Exec[uto]rs hereafter named, and the money arising from thense to be employed & disposed of in maintaining my younger Children till they be able to do for themselves, after which my Will is that whatever money shall be in my Exec[uto]rs hands (my debts and Funeral Expenses being payd) it shall be equally divided amongst my Five younger Sons & Three daughters their Exec[uto]rs Admini[strator]s & Assignes (provided notwithstanding that if any of my Said Children dy before they attaine the Age of Twenty one yeares that then such share of the aforesaid money as is hereby bequeathed them shall equally fall due & descend upon the rest of my Children who shall then survive And I do hereby make my Two Brothers in Law Thomas Lee of Alstonhouse & John Walton of Annat Walls both in Alston moore full & Sole Exec[uto]rs of this my last Will & Testament; & I do also appoint my Son Thomas Vazie, Henry Stepehenson of Croslands & Nicholas Walton of Blagill as Trustees for my Children to see that they have & enjoy such shares of the said Money as shall become their due after my younger Children be brought up & a fair Account made by my Said Exec[uto]rs. And I do hereby disannul all other Wills & Testaments by me heretofore at any time made. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand & Seale this Second day of June 1707.
Ralph Vazie
Signed Seal[e]d & deliver[e]d in the presence of.
Tho Vazie Henry Stephenson Nicho. Walton
1708 Test[amentu]m et Juratum Radi Vezie imp. de Low Byar par de Alston Dios Dunelm Defcti
A True and perfect Inventory of the Goods and Chattles w[hi]ch Ralph Vazie late of Low byar in Aldstonmoor & Diocess of Durham died possessed of made by us Henry Stephenson John Lee William Vazie and Richard Wallasse this 22nd of August Anno Domi[n]i 1707
£ s d
Impris His Horse and Apparrell 10 00 00
Ite. Two young Mares 08 00 00
Ite. Fourteen Cows and a Bull 31 00 00
Ite. Five Heifers 06 00 00
Ite. Five Calves 02 10 00
Item Sixty five Sheep 08 16 00
Ite. Thirty six Lambs 03 00 00
Ite. One Hogg 00 15 00
Ite. Eight Stacks of Hay 22 00 00
Ite. Fower closes of Fogg 4 00 00
Ite. Two Cupboards and a Press 04 10 00
Ite. Eight Tables Frames and Firms 03 00 00
Ite. Bedding and Bedsteeds 16 07 00
Ite. table Linen 01 10 00
Ite. Plate Pewter Brass and Iron 12 09 00
Ite. Brewing Vessell 01 18 00
Ite. Milk Vessell 00 15 00
Ite. Three Chests & One pair of Drawers 01 10 00
Ite. One Clock 03 00 00
Ite. Two Small Gunns 01 10 00
Ite. Husbandry Implements 01 00 00
In all 143 10 00
Ite. Debts own to the party Deceased in book Debt 38 10 10
In all 182 00 00
Debts own [owed?] <by> party deceased
<by> Bonds 140 00 00
<by> book Debts 004 00 00
<by> Rent 093 00 00
In all 237 00 00
Henry Stephenson Nicho. Walton
John Lee Vicr of Alston
William Vazie
Richard Wallasse

DPR/I/1/1708/V1/1-3 Will & inventory. There is also a will bond, with a penal sum of £200, dated 13 October 1708 (DPR/I/3/1708/B159/1-2). Vazie’s name and location suggest he was the son of the Richard Vazie who was the Alston Moor agent for the Radcliffes in the 1670s-80s, based at Lowbyer.

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The Dukesfield Smelters and Carriers Project aimed to celebrate and discover the heritage of the Dukesfield Arches & lead carriers' routes between Blaydon and the lead mines of Allendale and Weardale. A two year community project, it was led by the Friends of the North Pennines in partnership with Hexhamshire and Slaley Parish Councils and the active support of Allendale Estates. It was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the generous support of other sponsors.
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